Bihar taking credit for central schemes: Sonia

19/08/2010

Bihar taking credit for central schemes: Sonia

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Accusing the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government of passing off some of the central schemes as its own, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday asked the party workers to make people aware of "false claims".

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting here, Gandhi said the party was geared up to face the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar, where it is fighting on its own.

"In many states, including Bihar, schemes and programmes funded by the central government are appropriated by the state governments which then claim credit which justifiably belongs to the centre. This is where we as party workers must actively engage ourselves in making people aware of these false claims and projecting the tangible accomplishments of our government," Gandhi said.

She said Congress was the only party with "an inclusive development agenda" and Bihar had received large financial assistance from the United Progressive Alliance government.

"Never before has Bihar received so much financial assistance from the centre for development and welfare programmes. This is the essential message that we need to communicate to the people of Bihar," she said.

When the election is due, they are trying to send one minister every week to criticize the state govt. administration. Madamji is doing after treatment of her mother at foreign location. Where was she when state asked for package to combat the drought, Leh was devastated with flood, Commonwealth is flooded with billion dollar corruption, Kashmir is burning due to political mismanagement and so on….What work have you done madamji for people of Bihar in last 6 years since the UPA Govt. formed? UPA must be prepared to answer these questions. We have been fooled by Congress Govt. for 50 years but its enough now. They haven’t given a single project to generate employment, enhance state revenue. They have been just giving the money which we as people from Bihar deserve due to payment of income tax, excise tax, etc. So stop taking credit madamji and show the courage… You gave special package to Bundelkhand but what about special package for Bihar which is starving from drought since last 3 consecutive years….
Rather than a catalyst for development, you have created enough roadlock to discourage the development. Bihar could have implemented 10,000 MW of power. But, we haven’t been able to implement any of the proposals as the Centre has not been giving us any coal linkage. After Bihar’s bifurcation, all the coal mines went to Jharkhand. Also, the thermal power stations need water. But when Bihar Govt. applies to the Centre for environment clearance, one more condition is imposed: not to use water from the Ganga. The reason is that there are international commitments with Bangladesh on the Farakka barrage. Though UP and Uttarakhand are using the Ganga’s water, but we cannot. Bihar received proposals to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore for setting up ethanol plants. Ethanol is prepared from sugarcane juice and is blended with petrol. The Centre, however, issued a circular that requires ethanol to be prepared from molasses (a sugarcane by-product), not directly from sugarcane juice. So, obviously protecting the Marathi Ministers.
How can companies pump in money if the Centre’s policies put in constraints? Reliance Industries bought the Motipur sugar mills for ethanol conversion. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation bought two sugar mills and is investing Rs 1,000 crore in them. But due to centre’s negative policy towards Bihar, these companies are withdrawing the projects.
UPA Govt. is good for the state where Congress is ruling but not goods for others or not atleast for Bihar people as if we do not exist for them. We are being neglected again and again. We are not given our due. Lets wake up and teach them the lesson.

Ram Nivas Kumar

To complete the health minister’s statement, the central fund is not meant for Italy of any other country likewise, it is meant for states and UTs falling under Indian territory.

Sanjay Kumar

This incessant noise about central fund being some kind of favor to states must bt nipped in the bud for once and all. Central government collects revenue from whole India all states. Eveery state has rights to that purse as per their population distribution.
If we look closely Bihar a state with tehn times population fo Jammu/Kashmir gets 1/10th of the aid given to J/K. How can anyoen with striaght face then claim Bihar is getting more funds .

Yes Health minister was right these fudns are not coming from Italy or some some numbered account in swiss bank. If anythign Bihar is being shortchanged in allocation of central fund.

We Biharis too contribute to central kitty so stop abusing us as if some royalty siting somewhere is giving alms to us. it's our money.